Hello everyone, I am looking for a little advise on mountain flying. I am leaving Detroit Michigan and am moving to Durango Colorado KDRO. I am not concerned with the flight until i hit the Rockies. I guess i know some of the basics like go over the mountains instead of running into them. Fly early in the morning and stay light until you are familiar with the area. I will be stopping on the front range before heading into the mountains to ask for some advise from an instructor but i figure there's many years of experience here and i should ask. I will likely stop in by Denver or Colorado Springs before heading to Durango which is in the southwest corner of the state. Airport elevation is 6685' The engine in my bird is a Lycoming io-540 fuel injected but i guess that is obvious. If anyone is from that area i could stop by. I'm not sure which pass would be the easiest. I am a flat land pilot but that will soon be changing permanently. I appreciate all your advise and hope to meet some off you soon. Peter

I forgot to mention: if anyone has any not to be missed stops and the way from Detroit to Durango please mention them. The trip is 1200 nm and i am choosing to fly VFR for this one. I feel like i miss alot when i fly IFR. I am in no real rush and would love to make some stops just to have fun. Thanks again Peter

I bought my 182 in Ohio and flew it to Nor California in Feb of 2000 when the weather was crappy. I was 1000 agl all the way to the Rockies. Saw a lot if the USA up close.

I met with an instructor at an airport just north of Denver, Longmont I think, and he assessed my mtn flying skills (none) and advised me to head south and cross the rockies just east of Durango. Just dug up that chart that I used to see where he sent me. It was through a pass just west of Cuchara Valley airport (O7V) I think I followed the railroad tracks. Look at the Denver Sectional and you will see that the Rockies are the narrowest at that point. He said to forget it if the winds aloft were more than 20kts. I went up to 14,000 ft but for less than 30 minutes to give those big rocks a lot of space. That's my story and I am sticking to it.

Tim

Motorcity maule, come to the Maule flyin at Valier MT on your way. It is on the 29, 30 June and 1 July. We'll fill you with tips, hints, and even some truth from those who fly regularly in the mountains, then you can turn left and follow the front range South till you get to the entry through to Durango.
Long way around but a beautiful learning experience.
Jeremy

I will second that last. The best part about buying my 182 in Ohio is having to fly it home. Took a shortcut through Fayetville, NC to see a daughter and my son in law that was in the 82nd. I saw all three daughters on the way home. The one on Fayetville, one in Longmont , CO and one in St George, UT.

Had 5 hrs in high performance prior to this and really learned the plane.

Take the long road

Tim

Not really being that experienced myself, I do feel that have learned a lot from reading. Find a good book like the Mountain Flying Bible or Flying the Mountains. I think critical thing is that you never want to be surprised. By learning this stuff, you know what to expect and when. Things might be better, they might be worse, but as long as you know what the main perils are, and what's killed many aviators who came before you, you're that far ahead of the game.

Tim's got the idea...talk to an instructor that is familiar with mountain flying. The safest thing would be to find a CFI in the front range somewhere, like Colorado Springs, Denver, Boulder, etc. and have him give you a day's instruction in your airplane up in the mountains.

Hello again and thank you all for your replies, tips and suggestions.

Tim- thanks for the story- I have no one to visit but I hope to find some great stops along the way.

Jeremy- I wish I could make it to Montana but its just not in the cards this year. I have wanted to go ever seen I bought the Maule. It will be within my reach now that i'm going to live in Colorado.

Crazyivan- I agree, the safest way it to have a local show me the ropes.
Shortfielder- Thanks for the info and the PM as well as the #'s talk to you soon.

If anyone has any idea's about fun airports to visit along the way please pass them on. Peter

It's a bit south of direct from DTW to DRO, but Beaumont, KS is a good food stop. Land on the grass strip, taxi up the street into town, and park next to the water tower in front of the hotel. After you eat you can stop at the Benton, KS (1K1) airport for fuel just NE of Wichita. They offer up self serve fuel at reasonable prices and the people are great.

http://www.hotelbeaumontks.com/

If you'd rather eat and fuel at the same place, then I'd also recommend Hutchinson, KS (KHUT). There's a steakhouse in the terminal that is excellent. It's definitely not your average airport cuisine. Enjoy.

-Matt

I find that when I fly cross country I take my stuff when I go to the hotel, if the strip has an FBO they will know the hotels that give pilot discounts, and they are normally very good discounts and they will pick you up at the airport. All you need to tell them is that you are a pilot.

Dane

crazyivan wrote:Tim's got the idea...talk to an instructor that is familiar with mountain flying. The safest thing would be to find a CFI in the front range somewhere, like Colorado Springs, Denver, Boulder, etc. and have him give you a day's instruction in your airplane up in the mountains.

Great advice!
Of all the dual I've had, the mtn. flying dual instruction is by far the best time & dough I've ever spent on instruction.
You'll carry that info everywhere you go from then on, & it'll server you sooo well.
Enjoy, Berk

Peter:

First, Welcome to the Southwest!!! You will never regret your move. And Especially Durango!!! I am convinced that there is no place in America that has such diverse and beautiful scenery as the four corners. Within one hours flight, you can be in SE Utah and the Canyonlands, Lake Powell, Monument Valley, the Weminuche Wilderness, Anasazi ruins at Cortez, Chaco Canyon, the San Juan River, best snow sking in America (Wolf Creek Ski Area), etc... And to top that off, we have some great back country strips in this area (see the UBCP website)!

As to mountain flying, I would first get Sparky Imeson's book (google his name and Mountain Flying and you will get his website). There are a number of great CFI's in this area who know backcountry flying. UBCP website has a number of good CFI's. Once you get here, contact me if you can't find anyone.

Finally, make sure you get in contact with your fellow backcountry pilots in this area. Gary (aka Shortfielder) lives in Durango and is based at the Durango airport. I am in Albuquerque (hour flight away) at E98. Make sure you stop by if you are in the area.

Good luck and congratulations!!

skywagon88h wrote: best snow sking in America (Wolf Creek Ski Area)

Wolf Creek looks pretty damned good, but I think there's some fellas up in British Columbia that would take offense to that.

Key word being "America".

If I were you and had the time, I would hook up with La Varre Wells at Canyonlands near Moab, Utah just as soon as you can. Works for Red tail aviation or at least he did.

Flew with him last June and he was a really good guy. Learned more about density altitude in one take off with him than I did the previous 10 years.

He is a legend in that area.

Tim

You might want to contact the Maule dealer that is based in Durango. He is at Animas Airpark (00C) which is actually closer to Durango than KDRO.

His website is http://www.maulewest.com/

Once you get settled you will want to get a lesson from someone like Lavar Wells at Redtail Aviation at CNY before checking out Utah's beautiful back country airstrips. You can learn more about them from http://www.utahbackcountrypilots.org/

Mtotorcitymaule contact Mike Hogan at A-cent aviation in Colorado Springs (KCOS). I learned to fly at that FBO....he is the owner and will give you mountain flying instruction. I believe thier website is www.a-centaviation.com. Being from Colorado I don't even know how an airplane flys at sea level, but from what I hear the performance out of my plane is pretty enemic at this atltitude.....

skywagon88h wrote:Key word being "America".

Ha, sorry. For some reason I read it as "North America." I need to ski Colorado.

Hello everyone, I am starting to get the cross-country butterflies in my stomach. I am so excited i almost cann't control my thought, like the last two night in a row>>go to bed at 11pm wake up at 2am get thinking about maps and routes and altitudes and tiedowns straps and some extra oil and a little cockpit music and mountain flying instuction and holy shit gotta fall back asleep so i can wake up early and finish packing and damn i'm too excited!!
Zane: you gotta ski Colorado before to long!!! Wolf Creek is super fun family style resort. No women in fur coats doing the blue and crap like that

I am going to meet with Jerry Eberhard for a couple of hours of mountain flying instruction before i leave the front range and into the Rockies. He is a Soaring Instructor and tow pilot, Cival Air Patrol, and conducts seminars on mountain flying. Shortfielder refered him. Spoke to Jerry he sounds like a good guy. Spoke with Shortfielder also, nice guy as well. My wife and i will be stopping in Denver to visit her parents so Jerrys location is perfect.

Greenhorn: Thanks for the contact

Prepared pilot: I certainly will contact Maule West. Must be a helpful guy to know.

Tim: I will contact La Varre Wells and chat with him. You and Prepared pilot both refered the same guy. He must be doing something well. Plus i cann't wait to visit Moab utah.

Skywagon88h: Thank you sir, i am happy to be moving to the SW. I am sure my wife and i will not regret leaving Beautiful Detroit Michigan for the 4 corners of America. I have not gone to UBCP yet. i think i will save that for when i live there. Only a few days away!!!!!!!!!!! I would love to meet you some time down in Albuquerque as i'm sure i will go there for commercial flights. Thanks all Peter

Hello again

Berk: Thanks I will likely agree with you on mountain flying instruction being some of the best dough spent on training. I gotta tellya IFR was nice but I will never for get my 13.6 hours of joyfull, fun and exciting Tailwheel instruction. Now that was some money well spent!!! Now 350 hours later dragging my rear around i still day dream about those 13.6

Soaringhiggy: I agree with you and that is just what i am going to do. my first stop is Iowa City Iowa (KIOW) Jay and Mary Honeck own the Alexis Park Inn and it is right on the other side of the field. It is an aviation theme motel. Both owners are pilots and they will pick you up. Thanks

Shamupilot: You really got my interested in this one!!! I might go there just for some lunch. It would be super cool to taxi down a street to town and park by a hotel to get a bite to eat. I hope i could go on a factory tour of Cessna or the Beach plant.?? I would make the tangent ever more worth it. Thanks a bunch for the suggestion. Peter